Office of Communications
& Outreach
(Courtesy LASP)
The LASP Office of Communications & Outreach (OCO)
supports the laboratory in two major areas: external
communications and educational outreach. Our K-12
educational outreach programs in space and Earth science are
known both in-state and nationally. Joining forces with highquality educational and scientific partners, we create dynamic
Earth and space science programs.
OCO has a strong focus on professional development for
educators and media; curriculum and lessons around LASPrelated science and engineering; and partnerships with local,
regional, and national education organizations. Our audiences
include K-12 educators and students, undergraduate students,
traditional journalists and New Media practitioners, and the
general public.
Core Programming and Events
Among OCO’s flagship programs are standards-based lessons
and an accompanying series of computer interactives within
the middle school “Project Spectra!” program; Dancing Lights
elementary school curriculum; and the annual Space Science
Teachers Summit, a week-long professional development
workshop for secondary school teachers that brings the excitement
of space science and exploration to students. OCO is the education
and public outreach lead for the NASA Mars Atmosphere and
The LASP Office of Communications & Outreach is committed
to building innovative education and outreach programs that
connect scientists and engineers with the public.
Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission. We also coordinate
education and outreach efforts for the Institute for Modeling
Plasma, Atmospheres and Cosmic Dust (IMPACT), which is
supported by the NASA Solar System Exploration Research
Virtual Institute (SSERVI) and provides opportunities to further
public understanding of lunar exploration.
OCO has ongoing events and activities that are designed to
interest a range of audiences in space and atmospheric science:
• Public lectures take place on the first Wednesday evening
each month during the academic year and are held at LASP
in the CU Research Park.
• We offer free workshops for teachers and for media in
Colorado and nationally. Please watch our web site for
upcoming workshops.
• Laboratory tours for school groups and organizations are
available on a rolling basis. Contact OCO to schedule a tour.
Connect with LASP
OCO maintains a varied social media presence for both the
laboratory and for individual missions and centers; see “Connect”
at http://lasp.colorado.edu.
To read more about OCO at LASP, visit:
http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/education.
The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) combines all aspects of space exploration through our expertise in science, engineering,
mission operations, and data management. As an institute at the University of Colorado Boulder, LASP includes students throughout our activities.
Learn more at http://lasp.colorado.edu.
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